Christmas: The NOT so Good

Part two... the not soo good part of Christmas.

Christmas 2009 marks the second year that my mom is no longer with us. She passed away five weeks after the birth of Grace. I remember having a moment while I was sitting on the bed nursing Linden this past month - and I was thinking of my mom. She was soo young. And it still seems strange to think she is no longer here. Looking down at Lindens face would at times make me sad because my mom will never have the opportunity to hold and cuddle him as a baby. I know she is in heaven and is well aware of his existence... and what we are doing - but its not the same as having her here ... to tell her face to face what I should have said more often "I love you". And to hug her .. more. My family wasn't and isn't very affectionate.. but I think we are working on that.

And so what frustrates me even more is the family that is here.... the not so good part of Christmas... huh? You might be saying 'I don't get what you are saying... '??? Ok ok - so I never said I was an author... it takes me a bit to get my point across. I'm sure I will get some flak for this post... but I get beyond frustrated with family members that I try to connect with.. let them know I love them.. that I am thinking of them almost daily... that I want to develop of closer relationship with... and well they just brush me off (at least that's how I feel)... and whoever is reading this... (if you are family)... will likely feel convicted by this post and you will know who you are (and no it's not you Adri) ;)

I don't get it.... we are family, lets try to become closer and more involved in each others lives.

So this is the not so good part of Christmas. Family that is far away and that are soo dreadfully missed. Family that put up walls and don't allow me (or the rest of my brew) in. Family that you wished you could have.

To end on a good note: I am soo dedicated to my immediate family. I want Jay, Ava, Gabriel, Grace and Linden to know everyday that I love them. That I would do anything for them. That they can always depend on me. And that I am always always trying my best to be the best mom I can be.

And so Merry Christmas to all my family near and far - you are missed and you are loved.

Christmas: The Good

Another Christmas has been celebrated in our new home.. this would make it year number two. This Christmas season was filled with making snowmen, enjoying cups of hot chocolate, Christmas concerts at local churches, staying up late and watching Christmas movies on TV... but mostly it was just soo great to watch our kids get excited for Christmas. Although they were excited about the tree, the lights, Santa of course, the stockings and all the other decorations.. they got it that it is really about love, caring, sharing with others and most importantly it is Jesus's birthday.

This was the first year that Ava was really adamant that she had to buy her own gifts for each member of the family (... and anyone she met to be perfectly honest ~ she has such a generous and servant heart). So I thought this was a good teaching moment for several things. Firstly to explain what a budget it. And that the amount you spend isn't what is important, what is important is to let the person know that you care, love and were thinking of them. Secondly it was an opportunity for her to experience what it is like to give a gift... not only to received gifts. She had a lot of fun thinking of what she wanted to buy, shop for them, wrap them and most importantly keep it all a secret! And she did really well! She didn't let any of it slip!

2009 Christmas will also be very memorable for me because it was just fun! I think it was because they kids were more excited this year... and you see their personalities more ~ and that is so exciting and interesting to see! They were excited to play in the snow. They were excited to see the Christmas tree (every morning). They were excited to watch Christmas movies on TV. They were just excited! And to experience that kind of innocent excitement made me excited again!

Over the Christmas holidays we were able to entertain more ~ and that is something Jay and I really enjoy doing. It was wonderful to be able to open up our home to some of our church families and friends. We are starting to feel like we are taking root here and that makes us feel good. It feels good to open up our home and share what God has blessed us with. Hey you can't take it with you.... so you may as well share 'the goods'.

This year also marks Linden's first Christmas ...

So overall this was an amazing Christmas.... but with the good comes the not so good..

Christmas Decorating Part Deux: my kitchen tree

Four more sleeps! ... and then it's CELEBRATION TIME ~ come on! :) This past weekend I made a few more finishing touches to our home. I've always always always wanted a fresh cut Christmas tree in my kitchen! Our kitchen in our previous home was very tiny ~ quaint but tiny nonetheless. For the last month I was pondering and pondering what way I wanted to decorate it.. and it came to me. Since its my 'kitchen Christmas tree' ... I'll decorate with a kitchen theme.

So here it is...

~ cookie cutters ~

~ bundles of cinnamon sticks ~

~ recipe cards with the Nativity story written on them ~

~ last but not least... adorned with an angel floating on a teacloth cloud ;) ~

I also added some fresh tree cuttings to my ceiling fan in the kitchen.... I just love the way this room turned out. I think it feels really cozy and has a kinda cottagey feel!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday baby Jesus!

To be thought of... one of the greatest gifts

Since we have moved four hours from my family I have come to realize how much I need and desire a deep relationship with my church family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. And when you are a believer you really do 'get this'... we have an eternal connection and that is something no one can take from you.


We have been living in our new home for just over a year now... I would have wished and hoped that we had developed more significant relationships... and we are beginning to and I can see God working in our lives ~ 'knitting' families together.. to further His kingdom ... and that is a good thing! Fellowship, love, depending on one another ~ now doesn't that sounds nice?


And so today after church we were given some gifts.. well to be more truthful we were given gifts to give to Linden! More baby gifts.. and they are ALL sooo thoughtful, much needed and soo lovely. And not to discount any other gifts that were soo wonderfully and loving given to Linden.. but today one especially stood out to me. What 'makes up' a gift? Is it the size? The cost? The amount? No... it's the gift to be thought of... the gift of someones time... and so without further ado...

This is for you Pat ;) ........

Hope you enjoyed these pictures.... thank you again Pat... what a wonderful gift :) Blessings!

a glimpse of Christmas on Bains 2009....

Here are just a *few* pictures of what Christmas looks like at our house... and of course *some* super cute pictures of my kidlets. Enjoy the many many pictures.........

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The kids enjoying the snow; making snow angels, sliding down the hill... and of course throwing snowballs!

SLIDING!!!!!!! wwweeeeeeeee....

Gracie giving 'frosty' a little kiss.... ;)

SNOWBALL FIGHT! gotcha!!

Snow angels..

And now.. here is a look at how we decorate and get ready for Christmas, the birth of Christ ...

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and myrrh. Matthew 2: 10 & 11

Playing catch-up!

Needless to say I haven't posted for a few weeks. Not only am I busy with homeschooling, a newborn, the Christmas season, visiting family, Christmas concerts and Christmas baking... I have also been busy taking pictures. So here is a bit of a hodge podge look at what we've been up to:

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Here we are trying to put up our Christmas lights, thankfully it hadn't snowed yet.. but who would have thought four kids would slow us down instead! ;) But it was soo fun! I can't believe how much fun just doing the simple things with my family could be!

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I planned to do something special with Ava after the birth of Linden and so we went to a Edwardian Christmas Tea. It was a really great day! Ava had a great time eating the little sandwiches, tiny pastries and drinking apple juice! She also had a great time looking at the manson that was all decked out for Christmas!

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This year we tried something different. Instead of trying to haul... now four kids to a photographer to get our Christmas picture done we opted to stay home and try it out ourselves. It was a *bit* less hectic... ha ha who am I kidding! It was a crazy! But soo much fun! After seventy-eight pictures.. we managed to get a decent one. We were trying soo hard to get a nice one as I wanted to put them on the cover of our Christmas cards... the final pick is the one on the header of my blog.. but I decided to also share some of the more *real* pictures!

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Another first ... was a four hour road trip as a family of six. The kids actually did really really well! Linden was a trooper too! We usually try to leave once the kids have had a meal that way once we get in the car and they are all settled in they nap. But for the first little while Ava amused herself with her *laptop*. Below is a picture of Ava writing her story! She said she was typing out a story... what an imagination! I can't wait until she can actually write.. it will be very very interesting! And below that picture is the rest of the brew.. Gabriel, Grace and Linden! It was really strange to look back and see all the kids.. I couldn't help but wonder what they would look like when they were older ... and we were on another family road trip... hummm.

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Our destination... my family Christmas. We will not be able to spend or see my family over Christmas so we thought we would go visit for the weekend about a month before Christmas. It was a very busy weekend ~ but well worth it. We were not only able to visit with family, but we saw some of our friends as well! We were thankful too that it had not snowed yet.. so the roads were perfect for driving!

The next two pictures are of Gabriel and my brother:

Left to right: Jay, my dad, my brother & my brother-in-law

Ava was really excited, not only to see her Auntie, Uncle and cousins but also some old friends! Ava kept saying over and over again before we left: "THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST WEEKEND EVER!!" I am glad we had the chance to see some of our friends too. Ahhhh we just love them soo much! We wish we could have seen all our friends.. but we were only visiting for the weekend..

Here Ava is decorating a gingerbread man at her Auntie's house:

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And finally here is a picture of our first big snow fall... it is a bit hard to make out.. since by the time I got outside it was already dark! (can I just say that these shorter days are just killing me! I already feel like I don't have enough hours in the day!! But once it gets dark.. I just start to shut down... time to slow down, sit by the fire or watch a movie... *sigh*)... anyway back to the picture. Here is a picture of the front of our home.. I really really hope we don't have a green Christmas!!

These are just a few things we've been up to. I have to admit life with four kids can be busy... ok is really really busy! Most days I'm just cruising on coffee ~ and I'm ok with that ;) It's a lot of work, takes a lot of patience, a lot of time... but it's soo worth it! Hope you enjoyed a peek into many of our days..